Process of treating ores



June 36, 1925.

J. T. TERRY PROCESS OF TREATING ORES Filed Oct. 29, 1 924 Yo/ a e LirDdone 3%, 1925.

STATES assert; a: TERRY. or ALHAMBRA. CALIFORNIA. ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TJAMES E. LACY AND ONE-EIGHTH T0 RICHARD H. LACY, BOTH OF LOS ANGELES,CALL if ORNIA.

Application filed October 29, 1924. Serial No. 746,527.

To 1772 whom it may concern:

" l wn that l. ,l'osnrir T. TERRY, a

f lzite of (hlitornia, have invented new and useful Improvements inProcesses of Treatin Ores, oi which the "following is a speci- .mtion.

My invention relates to a process of recovering metals, such as copper,silver, mercury, and possibly other metals such as nickel, osmium,palladium or combinations thereoil it is an object of this invention toprovide a simple, eilicient and economical process of ircovering metalsin solution capable of forming an insoluble compound with acetylene.

ily invention consists in the steps of the process hereinafter describedand claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part ot the specification, Ihave shown ill?"lillllllikltlCfllly an apparatus suitable for carrying'out my process.

Referring to the drawing 1 represents va gas tight tank in whichprecipitation is carried out. and is provided with a; funnel 2 forreceiving: solution from stor tank 3 throughsuuood valve i and pipe .5.The tunnel 2 leads to tank 1 by pipe 6. controlled bv cut-oil valve 7. 8is a tank for acid soluble solids preferably in precipitate form orlinclv divided, which is introduced into tank 1 through shut-oil valve9, pipe 10 and receiving: -funnel f2.

Fertically disposed in tank 1 is a rotatable si' irrcr 11 mounted onshaft 12 which passes through a packing gland l3 and is revolved bygears 11 in a conventional manner.

Tank 1. is constructed with an inverted cone bottom 15, terminating\vitha drawing ofi' val 1e 16. Above the cone 15 is a decanting pipe 1'?controlled byshut-otl valve 18 and eads to a solution storage tank 19.

Directly below discharge valve 16 of tank 1 precipitate-receiving tank20. 21 repnts reagent tank for an air excluding entsuch sodium silicate,provided with rut-oil valve 22 and pipe QB-leading to precipitatereceiving tank 20. An acetylene generator or gasonieter 2 1 is providedr supplying acetylene .gas to tank 1 by is of pipe controlled byshut-oil valve 2? is a shut-0d valve controll munication betweenprecipitate receiving tank and a closed electrolytic cell 28 providedwith suitable anodes and cathodes 31 for the deposition of" coppr. A gascirculatory system is provided composed of pipes 29 29" and pump 30.Pipe 29 also communicates with gasometer 24. and serves to returnacetylene gas. 32 is a sulphuric acid container having a pipe 33'controlled by valve 34 communicating with electrolytic cell 28.

My process takes consideration of the fact that in neutral or slightlyacid solutions c'ohtainiug metals to be recovered acetylene reacts withcupric and mercuric salts in the presence of iron; also that a coppersulphite solution free from iron when treated with acetylene formscopper precipitate, 011F Cu SO due to gas displacement the acetylenedisplacing the sulphur dioxide. However, if iron is present copperacetylide is formed. I y

In carrying out my process atank 1 is charged with a copper sulphatesolution drawn from a storage tank 3 and a suitable amount of ferroushydroxide mixed with water is introduced from tank 8 into tank 1 tocombine with free acid present and leave a slight excess of undissolvcdferrous hydroxide. Valve? is then closed and icety lene introduced intotank 1 from tl1e"acetylcne generator 24 through pipe 25. The liquid intank 1 in the presence of acetylene is vigorously agitated, and thefollowing reaction takes place:

lVhcn the reaction is complete agitation is stopped, and the copperacetylide allowed to settle.

The supernatant ferrous sulphate solution is then decanted through pipeli'into storage tank 19.

The copper acetylidc precipitate at the l "rnrless safe to manipulatewhen dried end decomposed. out of contact with air.

The sodium silicate mixed with a copper scetylidc has the, function toprevent access of air and render the copper acetyli'dc non- In place ofsodium silicate other agents may be used to prevent access oi air, suchsodium sulphide, sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, hydrochloric acid orthe air may be exhausted to a: degree so'tlmt there will be no danger ofthe copper acetylide exploding.

My invention is particularly applicable to solutions containingsulphates and chlorides of copper, with or Without, silver, resultingfrom the leaching of ores which may or may not, have been previouslyroasted.

[is an alternative step in the process I may transfer the copperacctylide precipitate from receiving tank 90 into an electrolytic cell28 end in the presence of dilute sulphuric. acid decompose the copperacct'ylidc by electrolytic action depositing; the copper in elementalform on cathodes 31, and recovering acetylene. gas which is conveyed bypipe to fzasometer 24:. The pump 30 causes circulation of the gasthrough the electrolyte and by agitation maintains the suspension ofundecomposcd copper acetylens precipitate,

claimed.

I claim: 1. A process of precipitating and recover ing metals in aneutral or slightly acid sol 11:; I

tion, comprising introducing"acetylene, in presence of an iron salt toprecipitate metal in the form of metal acet-ylideend separa ing themetal acetylide from the mixture undcrithe exclusion of air.

. 2. A process of precipitating and recoverin; metals in a neutral orslightly acid solu tion, comprising introducing acetylene in thepresence ofen iron salt, separating the metal acetylide formed anddrying the metal acetylide under the exclusion of air.

A process of precipitating and recovering copper in solution, consistingof adding ferrous hydroxide to neutralize any free acid, treating thesolution with acetylene to form copper acetylide, and separating thecopper acetylide from the mixture and drying: the same out oi contactwith air.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

J. T. TERRY.

